Things To See & Do

Stafford Castle

An impressive example of the motte and bailey system. The site itself extends to over 26 acres and consists of Keep, inner bailey, outer bailey, woodland, herb garden, visitor centre and car park. Stafford Castle is considered one of the best surviving examples of Norman earthworks in the country. A programme of archaeological excavations has gradually revealed many of its secrets. Visitors can follow an informative trail of interpretation panels to discover the castle’s history.

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Cannock Chase

Cannock Chase was designated as an AONB in 1958 because of its beautiful landscape, its wildlife and its history. Cannock Chase is the largest surviving area of lowland heathland in the Midlands. Lowland heath is an internationally scarce and threatened wildlife habitat. The AONB also has extensive areas of forest and woodland along with areas of designed parkland, sand and gravel quarrying and mixed agriculture.

Cannock Chase and its associated animal and plant communities are part of an historic landscape dating back thousands of years. Wild deer still roam the Chase and are probably descended from the original herd introduced in Norman times for hunting purposes.

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Shugborough Hall

The hall is situated on the edge of Cannock Chase, about 4 miles east of Stafford. The estate was owned by the Bishops of Lichfield until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when it passed through several hands before being purchased in 1624 by William Anson, a local lawyer and ancestor of the Earls of Lichfield. The estate remained in the Anson family for three centuries. Following the death of the 4th Earl of Lichfield in 1960, the estate was allocated to the National Trust in lieu of death duties, and then immediately leased to Staffordshire County Council. Management of the estate was returned to the National Trust in 2016. It is open to the public and comprises the hall, museum, kitchen garden and a model farm.

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Drayton Manor Theme Park

Create fun family memories at Drayton Manor Park, home of Thomas Land anytime throughout the main park season which usually runs between March and October enjoying all the thrills and spills of the park.

Whether you’re after a fun filled family ride or seeking adrenaline pumping fun, look no further than family favourites such as The Carousel or The Bounty Pirate Ship. Or why not take a flight on Maelstrom and Air Race, feel the full throttle of Shockwave the stand up roller coaster or maybe give the heart stopping 54m drop tower Apocalypse a try for the fright of your life plus so many more.

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